


Simplicity

by Dariary_Absentee



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Twins, Hank Anderson is Connor and Upgraded Connor | RK900's Parent, Human AU, a family fic, they're children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-20 22:35:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21064310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dariary_Absentee/pseuds/Dariary_Absentee
Summary: Lieutenant Hank Anderson knows a crossroads when he sees one. Shoot or don’t shoot. Put down the bottle or pick another one up. Run towards the danger or run away.This was one of those times.Either take home Connor and Nicholas Stern, the two ten-year-old boys they have in custody, for the night or let CPS handle them.





	Simplicity

Lieutenant Hank Anderson knows a crossroads when he sees one. Shoot or don’t shoot. Put down the bottle or pick another one up. Run towards the danger or run away. 

This was one of those times. 

Either take home Connor and Nicholas Stern, the two ten-year-old boys they have in custody for the night or let CPS handle them. 

“Eh,” Hank said. His hand was heavy on Captain Fowler’s shoulder. He slid past Fowler on his way to go look at the twins. “I’ll save CPS the trouble, they can come home with me for tonight.” The last time he looked in on them, they were sitting in the corner of the room, knees pressed to their chest and head leaning on each other. 

“That’s not up for you to decide, Hank,” he said. 

But Hank was already moving forward, he waved his hand over his head. “You think anyone’s gonna wanna drive 4 hours to get them? By time they get where they need to be it’ll be five in the morning.” 

Not to mention they’re a pair of traumatized kids. The last thing they need is to get carted off by Child Protective Services for the night only to come back for more questioning the following morning. Better to keep them close. 

They’re just kids. 

“Call ‘em. See what they’d rather do.” He turned around the corner to the holding cell. 

Nicholas, according to his birth certificate, is the younger of the twins and slightly taller than his brother. His eyes are slate blue and wide open. Connor is the elder by nine minutes, his eyes are shut, and they’re brown. His body is curled into his brother’s. 

They’ve been taking turns sleeping like they’re soldiers in a war. 

_ Jesus. They’ve been through Hell, _he thought. Hank doesn’t blame them. 

It took an hour to get them to talk and they’ve learned the hard that they absolutely cannot be separated.

The glass is one way, they don’t know that they’re being watched. Hank feels like they do though, and even less likely, he feels like they’ve been watching him. 

Fowler came back wearing a scowl, he and Hank have known each other so long, he remembers a time when they weren’t just two old, scowling assholes. Hank already knows what he’s going to say. 

“They’re not happy about it. They don’t like the idea of someone taking them in right now, but it’s one in the morning and they’re as short-staffed as we are.” 

In other words: yes, just don’t let them get attached. 

Got it. 

“Go, get ‘em,” Fowler said, “bring them back by 9 a.m. tomorrow.” 

Hank kept his mouth shut about the whole 9 a.m. thing, sometimes he isn’t an insubordinate piece of shit. 

_ Sometimes, _especially when it matters. 

“Hey, Hank.” 

He stopped with his hands on the door. He looked at him with a raised eyebrow, the only indication he was ready for what Jeffery was going to hit him with. It was going to be a big one. 

“You sure you’re gonna be o--” 

“They’ll be back by 9 a.m., just like you want ‘em, CPS can have their way with ‘em after that. Go home, Jeffery, stop hovering.” 

Fowler grimaced. “I’m still your superior, Hank. Don’t end up being the one that ruin this.” 

Hank snorted. All things considered, for him, he got off easy. He blamed it on the hour, and the somber mood of the precinct, finding kids like Connor and Nick are never easy. 

He pulled the door open. Connor’s eyes snapped open and two of them pressed close together. They all felt bad about trying to separate them earlier, it’s just procedure to get them alone. Clearly, the boys hadn’t forgotten either. 

They’re around the age--they would’ve gone to school with-- Hank’s through clicked dryly. 

Sick. Sad. World.

They look so small under the fluorescent lights of the room. The lighting from above makes them look especially gaunt. They didn’t look severely underweight before, just clearly on the small side, but Hank’s having second thoughts about it. 

“We’re calling it a night, alright?” 

Hank got two blinking sets of eyes in response. 

“So, for tonight you two are going to come home with me. I’ll bring you back here tomorrow morning and we’ll get this all sorted out.” 

Neither of them budged, Hank didn’t expect them to. They’ve been through a lot. 

“Would you rather sleep here or in a bed?” It wasn’t a threat. Hank wasn’t threatening them at all, he needed to know where he stands with them. If he’s in their good graces it’ll be easier to get something out of them tomorrow morning. 

Connor looked at Nicholas. It was creepy watching them talk without words. Twinstinct or twintuition or something. Connor’s hands wrapped firmly around Nicholas’s arm pulling him down slightly. His eyes were frantic. 

Connor turned to look at him. 

“A bed,” he rasped, his voice was hoarse and garbled. “He stays with me, but we want a bed.” 

_ That was easy. _ _“_Yeah, you’re not going to be separated,” Hank said. Connor is always the first one to speak, it’s Nicholas who never answers verbally, they’ve been using ‘yes or no’ questions with him all day. Hank turned to him. “Is that okay with you?” 

Nicholas hesitated. He nodded. 

“Then we’ll get out of here.” 

“You two want anything to eat?” Hank looked in his rearview mirror. They haven’t moved, they’ve barely blinked since they buckled each other in.  
They have to be hungry, he doesn’t know when they last ate. 

Something told him he wasn’t going to get as easy a response this time. Nicholas swayed, losing consciousness for a moment. 

“Tell you what? I’ll make some grilled cheese and soup. That way we don’t have to stop anywhere, and you two can get to bed.” 

Nothing. 

“Okay.” 

Hank pulled into his driveway at 2:34 in the morning. Sometimes he thinks it really is for the best that he lives with a dog and no one else. 

Speaking of that…

“Connor? Nick?” Connor had one sleepy eye open and Nicholas was struggling to keep both up. “We’re here. I have a dog, alright? He’s kind of big, but he’s a softy. Don’t freak out if he comes up to sniff ya, he just wants to know who you are.” 

Nicholas nodded. 

Connor hummed, or maybe it was an exhausted groan. 

“Alright, c’mon,” Hank sighed. He didn’t even bother with letting them get on their own. They’re practically non-responsive, at this point if he didn’t expect they were starving, he’d skip the food altogether. It was disconcerting that they both allowed Hank to unbuckle them. 

Nicholas stepped out, arms wrapped around himself in the cold. Connor followed after him. Nicholas stood at a distance, Connor did not. Connor’s hand wrapped around the hem of Hank’s coat. 

Instead of asking if she was asking if he was okay. Hank leads them inside they needed central heating, food, and a bed more than anything. 

“Like I said,” he sighed. “He’s a big dog, but he’s not gonna hurt you alright. I call him Sumo.” 

As expected, Sumo came up at the sound of the door lumbering as happily as a dog that big can. It’d almost be cute the way the boy stood behind him, peaking out around him to look at Sumo. 

“Hey there, big guy,” Hank ruffled and scratched behind the dog’s ear. “I know, we got company.” He turned around to look at the two boys that were pressed to each other, not necessarily in fear, just...just habit. “This is Connor and that’s Nicholas. You two wanna say hi back?” 

“Hello,” Connor spoke softly. 

Nicholas waved. 

“There’s a blanket on the couch you two can wrap up in while I make something to eat.” The boys filed over to the couch and sat down. 

Hank looked down at Sumo and sighed, even at this hour he wouldn’t grab a bear, he’d crash flat on his bed. “Chow time,” he said. “Why don’t you go see if the boy’s pet ya?” 

Dogs are supposed to calm people down or something, right? Therapy dogs exist. 

Sumo’s bed is in the living room by the couch anyway, and he seemed happy to wander over there. “Good dog.” Hank turned to the kitchen, he can’t remember the last time he used the stove. 

Connor slid from the couch and kneeled down to pet the great giant sleeping dog. It’s thick coat spread out between his fingers like sticking his hand through water and underneath he could feel it breathe. 

“Soft,” he muttered.

He laid down on top of it, listening to its heartbeat and the air rush out of its lungs. From here, he could see Nicholas on the couch watching him. He wouldn’t come. He didn’t care about the dog or the police-man or the house. 

Nicholas wanted _ mom, _and Connor knew not even he could change that fact. Just like he couldn’t change the fact that mom is gone now and she isn’t coming back. 

“He’s soft,” he said again. He still tried to tempt Nicholas though, maybe it would cheer him up. The dog liked him and that was enough to make Connor smile, why wouldn’t it do the same for him? 

Nicholas blinked sleepily. He was scowling down at Connor with the emerald green knitted blanket wrapped around his shoulders. 

Connor got to sleep in the precinct. It’s his turn. 

“Fine, go to sleep,” he said. 

Nicholas leaned back into the couch and shut his eyes. 

Connor missed his voice too. He missed when Nicholas used to talk to him, to talk period. He’s pretty sure without their mother, he’ll never speak again. Maybe they can learn to talk through sign language. 

He thought this while laying on top of Sumo. It was hard to keep his eyes open, but he would, even as the heartbeat lulls him to sleep. He could hear the police-man cooking, he could smell the cheese and butter, so he focused on that and the painful feeling of his empty stomach. 

Nicholas could sleep for a bit and he can stay awake. 

Hank set down a set three sets. It’s been years since his kitchen table was so full. The boys were quiet, he suspected they fell asleep, he prayed to God they didn’t sneak out the back door. 

They haven’t seemed like the flight-risk type so far, but you never know. Trauma makes everyone crazy. He went back over to the living room, Connor was laying on top of his dog, eyes wide open, his thumb in his mouth. 

Probably not a great sign. 

Nicholas’s head was tipped back on the couch, his eyes were shut and he was breathing steadily like he’s deep in sleep. 

“Food’s ready,” he said. 

Nicholas’s eyes opened slowly. He turned to look at him with extreme trepidation, but when he saw Connor it was gone--mostly. They were both slow to get up, they linked hands as they went to the kitchen table and sat down. 

Hank decided to stand at a distance and watch. He thought giving them a wide-berth might help, and to be honest, it was too weird sitting down and eating with them...like they’re some kind of family. 

It was fun watching them. Hank was done eating his sandwich in seconds and skipped the soup. Nicholas pulled his apart slowly, watching the cheese stretch, through it Hank could see him grimacing. 

Connor blotted the grease his with a napkin and then ate it. 

_ Picky eaters, _ Hank thought.

The boys ate in delicate silence. Hank didn’t speak either, except to warn them that the soup is hot and to slow down in case they haven’t eaten in more than a day, too much too quick will make them sick. 

When they were done they put their plates in the sink and Hank showed them to...the spare room. It was dusty in there, it smelled like what it was--frozen in time. Hank hadn’t touched it in a while, the toys were still there, the lamp with ducks on it sat on a colorful nightstand and the bed was made.

“The bathroom is across the hall and my room is next to yours if you need anything,” he said. 

“Thank you,” Connor said. “Goodnight.” 

Hank was surprised to hear it, but he’s the chattier of the two, so…”yeah,” Hank said. He tried not to smile or brush his hand against the back of his neck so he stuck them in his pockets. “We’re waking up early tomorrow okay, so try to get some sleep? I have to take you back there.” 

Nicholas crawled into the bed first and Connor followed, pressing up against him protectively. It was sweet to watch actually. “Goodnight boys.” 

“Can you...can you leave the light on?” Connor asked. “Nicholas is afraid of the dark.” His brother glared at him in feigned betrayal. 

Hank stopped with his hand on the light switch and let it drop. “Yeah, that’s fine.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Yeah...you’re welcome.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what this is. I got bored in English class, okay?


End file.
